Tips For Flying with Kids- Short & Long Flights
Are you a fan of flying? I’ll admit, it’s not my favorite thing to do. I tend to get antsy about an hour into the flight. However, it’s SO much faster to get to point B, so flying is inevitable most of the time. Flying with kiddos adds a whole new dimension of being prepared and enduring short and long flights. I’ve come up with a few tips that have made flying with kids so much easier.
- Prep the kids for a plane ride. Explain to the kids what is going on when they fly. You can explain how many stops you may have, if they will get a snack and drink, who they are sitting by and what an airplane ride feels like. I forgot to explain how an airplane works to our youngest, so when we got on the plane she started to FREAK out. I didn’t know why until she finally told me that she thought the plane would be going upside-down. Oops! I did not tell her that it’s not like an amusement ride airplane- no loops and twirling going on. Once she understood, she was so much happier!
- Each child has their own backpack. If you’re child is old enough to carry a backpack, then do it! It’s so nice to have them pack a few of their favorite things that will bring comfort on the plane ride and in the airports. You could have them pack a few toy cars, dolls, books, activity books (see #3), tablets with games, and anything else they would enjoy doing.
- Sticker Books & Activity Books. This is something I’ve recently started bringing and my kids LOVE them. I go on Amazon and grab a few new sticker books and activity books. I don’t show them until we are well on our flight and they need something to do. I pull these out and give one to each kid. This keeps them busy for awhile.
- Individual bag of snacks. Every flight I make a snack bag for each kid. Again, I don’t give it to them until we are well into our flight. I try and space it out. If we have a stop overs then I make a bag for EACH leg of our journey. It doesn’t need to be big or fancy, but the excitement of a treat/snack makes it so fun. Some examples of things I put in their bags are gummy candies, goldfish crackers, pretzels, suckers, fruit snacks, banana chips, dehydrated fruits, and cookie assortments like oreos. You can find most of those here.
- Bring headphones & blankets. It’s so nice to have individual headphones for movies that are on the TV in front of you. For kids, it’s even nicer to have headphones that fit and are comfy, consider grabbing some of these. It’s the worst to have earphones that don’t fit or keep falling out. You could also bring a favorite blanket or pillow to keep them comfortable.
- Know Your Flight Plan. If you have multiple stops, then be sure to check out the airport that you will be stopping in. If you have time to grab a meal, then do it. Give the kids time to stretch, use the bathroom, eat a good meal and get ready for the next stretch. If you don’t have time to do all of those things and you have a fast connection, be sure you know where you’re going ahead of time. Consider grabbing food at your first stop that you could eat on your connecting flight. Being prepared ahead of time will make the flight so much better, especially with kids.
4 Breakfast Smoothie Recipes That are Perfect for the Summer
We love smoothies around here, but I often get in a rut of just throwing things in. It’s nice to switch it up and have a different recipes some days. Plus, one easy way to eat a healthier breakfast is to have a healthy breakfast smoothie. It’s easy and can be an on the go breakfast option as well. Here are 5 recipes that are the perfect breakfast choice.
- Blueberry Pie Smoothie by Buildyourbite.com
- Oatmeal Berry Breakfast Smoothie by northsouthblonde.com
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie by Like Mother Like Daughter
- Peach Carrot Smoothie by Primavara Kitchen
You could buy the ingredients and have one every day of the week. You might just get your family hooked too. Enjoy!
Save Money and Stay Cool This Summer with These Tips
Are you already feeling the heat this summer? Let me start by saying that I’m a little bit jealous because I live in the Pacific Northwest where it continues to be cool and rainy (although, I appreciate that we are getting all this water!!). Despite the record rainfall though, we have been known to get pretty hot here sometimes though and after last year’s record heat, I learned some tricks for keeping cool without spending a fortune on our power bill.
So, yes, you can save money and stay cool this summer with these tips and you might just find yourself able to relax and actually enjoy the weather! Unlike all of those warm summer days when you spend your days stressing about the upcoming bills.
Save Money and Stay Cool This Summer with These Tips
Block Out the Afternoon Sun
The back of my house has the most windows. The back of my house also faces West and boy does it get hot in here in the summer afternoons. Last year I decided to take a drastic step on one of the over 100 degree days and it worked wonders! I blocked out the afternoon sun by adding temporary reflective treatments as well as black out curtains. Just that step alone cooled it down over 10 degrees in my home.
If you are a homeowner, a long term solution to this is to add shade trees to the back of your home. My home has a large cement pad in the backyard so this, unfortunately, isn’t an option for us or else we would be doing this.
Turn off Your Appliances
Do not and I mean do not run your heat producing appliances in the middle of the day. No baking or drying clothes or even toasting food. Those may not seem like much, but I assure you it will add extra heat to your home that you simply do not need.
Turn off the Lights
I don’t know why I didn’t realize it sooner, but keeping your lights turned off helps to cool your home quite efficiently. Many lightbulbs get pretty warm when turned on and yes, that heat travels. Avoid this by keeping the lights off. I keep the window coverings open on the front of my home to be sure that the house stays light
2 Day Family Itinerary to Yellowstone!
We just returned from a wonderful family trip to Yellowstone. My parents always told me growing up we used to love going to Yellowstone even more than Disneyland and I still feel that way as an adult. Now, I was able to share that same love for our National Parks with my own little family.
I wanted to make sure we got the most out of our short stay. While I would have loved to stayed up there longer, it just wasn’t possible with work schedules and other responsibilities. But I’m happy to say, we were able to see SO MUCH in our 2 days there. I put together our itinerary so if you have the opportunity to go and explore Yellowstone you’ll know all the fun and awesome place to stop at!
Day 1 (Lower Loop) Yellowstone Itinerary
Firehole Canyon Drive
This was our first destination for day 1 and was worth the detour. This road is a one way road with a slower speed so you can really take it all in. Once you come upon the waterfalls they have a few pull off areas in which you can park and checkout the waterfall outside your car.
Don’t miss the turn off for the Firehole Falls, it comes up quickly once you’ve gone through the intersection. It’s a quick 2 mile detour but gets you off the main road where you’re bound to see some wildlife.
Fountain Paint Pots
The beautiful hydrothermal pools are everywhere in Yellowstone. We choose to hit up these Fountain Paint Pots next and they did not disappoint. The 0.6-mile loop at the Fountain Paint Pots will bring you past a variety of colorful pools. Don’t forget your camera!
Grand Prismatic Spring
This next stop I’m sure you’ve seen in many pictures. This year, instead of walking the boardwalk around the hot springs we took a different approach. We drove to the Fairy Falls Trail (past the turn off for the Grand Prismatic Springs) and parked in the parking lot. Then hiked the Fairy Falls Trail until we reached the turn off (about 0.6 miles) for the Grand Prismatic Springs overlook. At this point you’ll gain about 100 ft in elevation before you reach the scenic overlook but it was doable even for my youngest (he’s 6 years old).
The over look is so beautiful in person and worth the hike in my option. After, we returned back to our car and ate lunch while we enjoyed the river.
Old Faithful
Most know that Old Faithful is named such for its predictable eruptions but did you know it’s not the largest geyser in the park? That would be Steamboat Geyser (which we’ll stop at on day 2). But since Old Faithful is so predictable it makes it easier to plan a stop to see. You can check online for it’s next eruptions time so you don’t spend extra time sitting around wait. (If you have extra time you could take the board walk around to Observation Point – Geyser Hill Trail for a great view of Old Faithful without all the people)
In the mean time while you are there you can take your kids into the Visitors Center to start working on their Jr Ranger Program. They do charge $3 for the booklet so keep that in mind. My kids love doing all the Jr. Ranger Programs at the National Parks. If you haven’t done one in the past, I highly recommend doing so.
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Take the boardwalk along Yellowstone Lake and check out the geysers that hug its banks. This was a beautiful place to stop especially with some of the ice still on the lake. Don’t forget to checkout the trails on the other side of the parking lot. There we found a few elk and their calves walking around.
Mud Volcano
This was one of my kids favorite stops. This brief stop is where you’ll find the Dragon’s Mouth! Take the couple of steps up the trail so you can really see into the cave, it’s so fun to listen and watch this magical spot. As you head north towards the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, you can stop off at the Mud Volcano, where you’ll see many incredible volcanic elements in one easy 0.8-mile loop trail.
You’ll also see Mud Caldron, Sizzling Basin, Churning Caldron, Black Dragons Caldron, Sour Lake, and Grizzy Fumarole as you pass through this short, boardwalk hike. (This was closed when we went but I hear is a fun trail)
Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone
Here’s a great photo stop for you. We were getting pretty tired by this point in the day so it was the perfect easy walk down to see the falls. You’ll have the Lower Falls on one side and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone on the other.
As you’re coming up on Canyon Village area, turn right onto South Rim Drive towards Artist Point.
After this stop we headed back to our trailer. We actually found a place to camp outside of Yellowstone in West Yellowstone. Unfortunately we didn’t plan this trip soon enough to get a camping spot inside of Yellowstone but in all honestly I would camp at Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park and Cabins again. The camp site was well maintained, clean and friendly. We loved our stay there.
Day 2 of Your Yellowstone Itinerary
We set out earlier on day two hoping to see more wildlife while avoiding some of the crowds. With that in mind we decided to go counter clockwise around the upper loop of Yellowstone Park. That’s the best part of this itinerary, you can do what works best for you.
Tower Falls
Another waterfall is up first on our trip. This was my favorite part of our trip. Not because of the falls but this was were we saw a momma bear with her two cubs. One thing to note, if you see a ranger near by talking to a large crowd, get curious! They’re probably there protecting and educating everyone on the wildlife.
The trial to the waterfall isn’t that long, less than 1 mile round trip.
Petrified Tree
Almost immediately after rejoining the main road, the turnoff for the Petrified Tree will be on the left (if going counter clockwise around the upper loop). While this is a quick stop it’s fun to see and show the kids what a petrified tree even looks like.
Mammoth Hot Springs
The Mammoth Hot Springs have boardwalks all over that are fun to explore. We even saw a snake along the trial so keep your eyes open. These are beautiful natural features that are stunning to look at. You can easily take an hour exploring. Don’t forget to checkout the elk that hang out in town!
Sheepeater Cliff
Here’s another interesting geological site that’s worth the stop. We let the kids climb all over them. It was a great way to get out and stretch our legs. You can even take a walk along the river to see a small falls.
Gibbon Falls
Our last stop before heading back to the trailer for dinner was the The 84 ft Gibbon Falls. With its convenient location right off the road, there’s no reason not to stop and take a look!
How’s that for only 2 days inside Yellowstone? I hope you have an amazing trip and remember just enjoy being there. Take note of your “must see” stops then work around those. You’re sure to make incredible memories!
Summer Writing Topics for Your Kids!
Summer is here for most of us but don’t use that as an excuse to avoid anything educational! Give you kids the best summer while still keeping up on the things they’ve learned this school year. This summer, my kids will have writing topics they can choose from (along with other educational studies). They’ll have different requirements depending on their age with topics ranging from what they like to how they feel. Are there other topics you’d add to the list?
Summer Writing Topics
What spells would you cast if you were a wizard?
Describe your favorite car and its details.
What would you do if you woke up invisible?
What is your favorite animal and why?
What place would you like to visit and why?
Write a story about going on an adventure with your best friend
Who has the best job in the world?
When was the happiest you have ever been?
If you could meet any person in the world, who would it be? Why?
Name one thing that you could help someone else learn how to do. Explain how you would teach them.
Write about your best day ever.
Persuade your parents to give you a week off from your chores.
Persuade your parents to take a family vacation to the place of your choice.
What is your favorite sport? Why?
What is the worst vegetable and why?
Your testimony about Jesus Christ
What makes me feel safe?
How do I relax?
I’m a good person because…
I am happy because…
What motivates me is…
Write about a family trip you have taken
Write about traveling back in time to see the dinosaurs
Write about a friendly alien who comes to Earth
Write about an animal with magic powers
Write about finding a chest of buried treasure in the backyard
If you had one million dollars, what would you do with it?
What is the most important rule?
(Thanks to Kelly’s Lucky You for the photo)
How to Save Money on International Flights
It’s summer time which means a lot of people are traveling. Do you have any plans? We recently bought tickets to Europe and boy did it cost a lot of money! However, it was a lot cheaper than it could have been. Here are four tips that helped us save a lot of money for our Europe trip.
- Track your prices. If you don’t know how much the airfare is, then you won’t know what a good deal is. Check out Google Flights and see how much it is right now. The cool thing about Google Flights is that you can see prices a few months out. You can start tracking your destination and get notifications for when it drops in price. I’ve noticed that a good time frame to buy tickets is 3 months before your departure date. They usually go on sale. Obviously, if you see a great price before that 3 month time window, then snag it!
- Be Flexible. As you can see in Google Flights, certain days are cheaper than other days and certain weeks are cheaper than others. If you have the option to be flexible with your departure and return date then you can save so much money. Even if you pick a date that is $50 cheaper and you have a family of 6, you just saved $300! Every little bit adds up, so grab a low priced date if possible.
- Use Credit Card Points. If you have a credit card that gives you travel rewards then use it! We were able to get 1 ticket round trip for FREE with our credit card points. That definitely helps if you are traveling internationally since prices are usually more expensive than domestic travel.
- Compare Nearby Airports. Traveling internationally may give you more airport options that are pretty close to each other. Be sure to check all airports that are close to your destination city. For example, If you want to fly into Zurich, Switzerland but the prices are super expensive, check out other close by airports like Munich, Geneva, and even Frankfort. If the prices are significantly lower and a plane ticket and a quick train ticket would be cheaper, then do it! Trains are super useful and could help you enjoy the scenery all while saving some money.
5 Things You are Wasting Money On
Are you tired of ending the month trying to figure out where all your money went? I would be willing to bet that you are wasting a considerable amount of money each and every month on wasteful things. Even if you don’t realize it, you might be surprised.
While the list is considerably longer, below we are going to talk about 5 things you are wasting money on that you should try and change asap to save money! Getting rid of this spending waste will change your life in a big way! You can add some money to your savings or finally reach goals that you have been wanting to reach (vacation, anyone?).
5 Things You are Wasting Money On
New Designer Clothing
Designer clothing is expensive. Very expensive. The thing is though, it’s simply not a need. It’s important to know the difference between wants and needs. It’s also important to remember that you can still get your favorite brands, just be smart about it. Check out higher end thrift shops such as Plato’s Closet and check out the in style, designer clothes that you can buy for huge discounts.
Be sure to also check FB Marketplace for deals on designer clothing.
Gambling
Did you know that you are more likely to become the president of the U.S. or be attacked by a lion than you are to win the lottery? It’s true. Playing the lottery is a great way to waste money.
New Cars
Long before I was even a licensed driver, I knew that buying a brand new car was a bad idea. Brand new cars lose up to 40% of their value the minute you drive off the lot. There is just no reason to waste that kind of money (thousands of dollars) when you can buy a perfectly nice new-to-you car.
Weddings
Yes, your wedding is a very important day. The key is though, it is ONE DAY. So many marriages these days start out in debt simply to pay for the wedding. No thank you! Put that money toward buying a home or building savings together and make your wedding a more simple affair. Granted, I got married 25 years ago, but my husband and I spent $220 on our wedding and I’ve never regretted it ever. I bought a low cost, simple dress and we paid $150 for our officiant. We got married in a park for free, our cake was given to us as a gift and we had a pot luck reception. It was lovely.
Jewelry
Hey, I’m a girl that loves to have pretty jewelry as much as the next gal, but I hate the kind of money they ask for it in store. I currently wear a wedding ring that cost $2800 in store, but because the bride/groom changed their mind about their jewelry selection, I bought it used (it was still in the box with all paperwork), for $200. I understand that some people may think it’s bad luck or something, but I promise it hasn’t affected my marriage at all and I still love the ring!
You can find great deals on jewelry of all kinds by buying second hand.
My Favorite Benefits of Journaling
Do you keep a journal? Are you thinking about starting? I sporadically kept a journal as a kid, but once I became an adult I always felt that it was something that I was too busy for. Quite a while back I decided to start up again and oh my goodness, has it been a life changing thing for me.
I love it so much that I truly think that it is something that most people should try. I have listed my favorite benefits of journaling below so that you can see just how great it can be!
My Favorite Benefits of Journaling
Helps me Process My Emotions and Thoughts
My days are busy and oftentimes I’m left thinking about the myriad of things I have dealt with throughout the day. When I journal them at the end of the day, I feel a weight lifted. My mind can relax because I have “vented” about the day and I know which things I need to think about later and which are finished.
It Helps Me to Remember
I have ADHD and I have been diagnosed with short term memory loss. I keep a small journal in my purse so that whenever I am out and about I can write important things down, because as much as I want to remember everything, the reality is that I just won’t. I have forgotten many important things throughout the days and I decided to take charge and make sure that that doesn’t happen again.
Additionally, as a creator, I have new ideas all the time. If I don’t right them down, I often forget what they were. I like writing them down so that I can look back on them at the end of the day and if I still like the idea, I can think about moving forward with them.
It’s Relaxing
I love having quiet time. I have learned that I am at my best when I take “me” time each day to relax. This sometimes means sitting quietly and journaling. It helps refresh me and get me prepared for the next day.
Tips for Throwing The Best Summer BBQ
Are you hosting a BBQ soon? Do you feel confident as the host? Are you comfortable and confident with your BBQ-ing skills? Do you feel like your guests have fun when they are over? Well, let’s see, shall we?
Want to make it the best BBQ ever? Check out these tips for throwing the best summer BBQ and you will find yourself the king and/or queen of the grill!
Tips for Throwing The Best Summer BBQ
Plan Your Menu
You need to know in advance what you will be serving. No one wants to be trying to figure out what to be pulling out of the freezer or fridge in the short time span before the BB Q. Be sure to tell your guests too so that they know what they will be eating while there.
Offer a Variety of Foods
If you are having just 2-3 people over, then you can stick to one thing being cooked on the grill, but if you have multiple guests it’s a good idea to grill up a variety of things. Not everyone loves burgers, hot dogs, chicken, etc. I always have happy guests when I make all three though. Plus, I always end up with lots of leftovers that can be used in my meal prep for the week ahead.
Cook Ahead of Time
So I recently went to a BBQ and the host literally served raw chicken. Like the outside of it looked great, but one bite in and you discovered that the meat was definitely not cooked. A lot of people have this issue with chicken so I highly recommend cooking it in the oven first and then tossing it on the grill for that BBQ taste.
Cooking other dishes ahead of time is a great idea so that you can spend more time visiting and mingling with guests. I always put desserts and salads together beforehand and it saves a lot of time! Another benefit to this is that the cleanup from making these dishes can happen before your guests arrive.
Accept Offers of Guests Bringing a Dish
BBQs are fun, but if you are so busy cooking and manning the grill you won’t get to have too much of a great time. This is why it is okay to let others bring dishes too! They get to feel as though they contributed and your load is lightened just a bit. It’s a win-win.
Join the BEST Fitness Classes, Salon or Spa Near You & When You Travel! Get a FREE Month’s Trial Now!
Have you heard of ClassPass? If not, then I’m excited to share it with you! ClassPass is a pass that can get you into any studio, gym, salon or spa you want, as many times as you want. How cool is that? Get your workout in, a massage or even a mani/pedi with the same membership. You can sign up for these classes worldwide. Meaning, you can find a class near you or if you’re traveling and want to stay up with your fitness classes or you need to unwind and get a massage, you can do that with your ClassPass membership! So cool! This is how you sign up:
First, Sign up for a FREE Month’s Trial
You can sign up for your free trial here. This is a great way to test it out for a month. You have nothing to lose! During this free month, you’ll get 10 credits to use for 1 month. You can use these credits to book classes, gym time & more. ClassPass will send you a reminder 2 days before your trial ends. Cancel anytime. If you don’t cancel you will be automatically enrolled into the 28 credits per month plan. You can adjust your plan at any time.
Why sign up for ClassPass?
- Book classes & appointments worldwide
- Adjust or cancel your plan at any time
- Invite friends to join you and score rewards for each friend who signs up
- Roll over up to the number of credits in your next month’s plan
How many credits per class?
After signing up, you’ll be able to see the credit price for a class or appointment, which varies based on popularity, time and reservation type. This way you can see which plan you would want depending on how many credits you will need.
Enjoy getting out and trying new classes or continuing with your favorites worldwide with ClassPass!
What to Buy in June
June is almost here!!! You know what that means! Summer is coming, summer break is here or just about here for most kids. The days are longer, warmer and oh so exciting! And guess what else?! June is a great month for buying specific items! Let’s talk about those.
Learning what to buy in June as well as what to buy during the other months of the year can help you save money on items that you are needing to grab anyway. Let’s go save some money, shall we?!
What to Buy in June
Swimwear
Okay, this seems a little weird, but June tends to be the month that swimwear goes on sale! Swimwear hits the shelves earlier in the spring so stores are trying to push those deals to get ready for the next season. They will leave the shelves soon anyway, so be sure to grab your swimwear now or you may struggle to find it later in the season.
Father’s Day Gifts
Okay, this one is a given, but don’t forget that Father’s Day is this month! It’s time to go buy a gift for Dad! Don’t you worry, you will be able to find deals!
Lingerie
Victoria’s Secret has their semi-annual sale in June, which means that this is a great time to buy lingerie. What if you don’t shop at Victoria’s Secret, you ask? Well, don’t you worry because most other retailers piggyback off of this famous sale so you can find deals almost anywhere!
Fresh Produce
This is the time of year when those gardens really start to produce! Head on out and hit up Farmer’s Markets to snag great deals on locally grown produce. YUM!!
You can even find deals on in season produce at the grocery store.
How to Eat Well While Saving Money on Groceries
I was at the grocery store the other day and did that store aisle shuffle (you know, the back and forth that you do since you are both in the middle of the aisle trying to get out of each other’s way) with an elderly woman in a motorized cart. She says to me “It’s been so long since I’ve been in the store and I had no idea how high these prices have risen” with tears in her eyes. It was heartbreaking.
I am not immune to these price increases. It’s depressing for sure and I am oh so ready to save money on my grocery expenses. That is why I have been figuring out how to eat well while saving money on groceries.
How to Eat Well While Saving Money on Groceries
Plan Your Meals
Meal planning not only saves you time, but it can save you a significant amount of money too! When your meals are planned out, you can shop for everything at once, buying in bulk when you need to and using coupons/sales as you can.
Shop with Sales
When does your grocery store change their sales prices? Mine does it on Wednesday. That’s why I do my meal planning on Wednesdays. I like to plan my meals to go along with the sales prices.
Grow a Garden
Fresh grown vegetables are absolutely delicious! Seriously, garden to table produce simply tastes better. I love growing my own vegetables and feeding my family that way.
We have several food allergies in our family so keeping our family eating in a particular way is very important to us. Even though we are trying to save money, we don’t really want to change our eating style and following these tips, we don’t have to.
How to Make Produce Last Longer
Oh my word, has the grocery store gotten expensive lately! I don’t know about you, but I am doing all that I can to save money and to make the most of the foods that I am buying. A bit part of this for me was to learn how to make perishable foods, such as produce, last longer.
While it may seem financially smarter to buy more non-perishable foods, it really isn’t because you need healthy foods in your life! Healthy foods typically mean fewer trips to the doctor which saves you money overall. When stored properly, you really can make produce last longer and save you from throwing food away.
How to Make Produce Last Longer
Buy Produce with a Longer Shelf Life
Some produce simply last longer than others. Be sure to stock up on some of the following items the next time you head to the produce section:
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Brussel Sprouts
- Collards
- Kale
- Carrots
- Radishes
- Turnips
- Winter Squash (Pumpkin squash, spaghetti squash, etc)
- Apples
- Pears
- Oranges
- Lemons
Store Your Vegetables Properly
Be sure to store your fruits and veggies in the proper way. This isn’t always the same, so be sure and research how to best store each of them. Here are some examples:
- Leafy vegetables (lettuce, etc) should be stored in a plastic bag with a paper towel in a produce drawer in the fridge.
- Potatoes and squash should be stored in a cool, dark place.
- Root vegetables should be stored in the vegetable drawer in the fridge.
- Bananas should be stored at room temperature, but away from other produce.
Separate Them
Produce should be separated from other produce when storing. Many types of produce release ethylene gas and many types of produce are also sensitive to ethylene gas. Storing them away from each other is helpful in preventing them from going bad.
4 Tips for Saving Money on Gas
I know we are all feeling the pain at the pump these days. My husband drives a jeep Wrangler and the other day when we filled it up, it cost over $80, I drive a Toyota Camry and it cost me over $60 to fill. 
Now, I don’t know about you, but I am desperate to find ways to save money on fuel, so I have made some changes in my routine that have helped me to noticeably save on my fuel bill.
These 4 tips for saving money on gas have helped me save, all the while being able to take those trips in my car that are a requirement without stressing about having to pay extra when it comes to filling up the tank
4 Tips for Saving Money on Gas
Sign up for Store Rewards
I have noticed with the raise in fuel and grocery costs, the store that I do the most shopping at seems to be offering more “fuel rewards” It doesn’t take much shopping for me to end up with $0.50 to $1.00 off per gallon of gas. That is very helpful!
Sign up For Cash Back Rewards on Your Credit Cards
I recently got a 10% cashback on fuel offer from my credit card and you better believe I signed up for it! That’s a great way to save a bit on your fuel bill.
Stock up When It’s Cheap
No, I’m not saying to be a gas hoarder. However, when you have those fuel rewards from your grocery store or credit cards, make it extra beneficial to fill up both of your vehicles or the gas cans you have in your garage for lawn mowers, etc. Whenever we have $1 off fuel, my husband loads up the gas cans and fills them up so that we have all the fuel we need for our lawn equipment, motorcycles, etc.
Combine Trips
If I have an errand to run, I now always choose to do it when I am making a trip for another reason. For instance, I have to take my oldest son to school in the morning, so if I need to get groceries, I will drop him off and then head to the grocery store. I live about 10 miles away from the grocery store so it makes sense to combine these trips.
End of Year Teacher Gift Ideas- 2022
It’s almost summer break, can you believe it? This school year has seriously flown by. However, I’m excited for those lazy summer mornings again. If you have a few more days or weeks left of school, you’re probably getting those last minute teacher gifts. I’ve found over the years that I never do the same gift twice. I usually switch it up every year depending on my teachers personalities and likes. It doesn’t take a lot of money to show your appreciation for your teachers. Here are a few ideas that will help you out.
Hand written notes from student AND parent. I’ve heard time and time again that this is a teacher favorite. Most teachers will keep these notes and maybe read them again on those challenging days. Have your student write a specific experience or quality that they have enjoyed this year, and you do the same.
Plant or Succulent. Give your teachers some greenery. This could be a pot and flowers that they could keep in their house/room or a plant they could actually plant in their yard. A cute succulent in a container could be an easy option. Plus, they are easy to take care of!
Gift Cards or Attraction Pass. As the year goes on you probably get to know your teacher pretty well. You’ll know if he likes his diet coke or if she gets her nails done regularly. Why not get a gift card to a specific place they will actually use? If you want to switch it up and think outside of the box, then why not a few passes to an attraction near you. If your teacher has kids, look into your local zoo, aquarium or museums.
Spa in a Bag. This can definitely be on a budget. Think of how much you want to spend and then put in as many items as you can on your budget. Just grab a bag from the dollar store and add in some of these ideas. Some fun ideas could include: bath bombs, lotions, bath candles, bath salt, nail polish, nail clippers, travel size hand sanitizer or lotions, cotton balls, lip scrub, lip gloss, face mask/scrub, hair scrunchies, hair conditioners, hair clips, or brushes.
Customized stationary and new pens. Believe it or not, this is something teachers love. Get some fun pens for the teacher to use and make the stationary with their name on it or favorite quote. You can find some cute ones here.
Food. Yes, it’s true. Most teachers have their favorite treats and drinks. Grab a few of their favorites and put a bow on it. Write a cute letter and done! I’ve heard of people grabbing Chili’s fresh salsa and a bag of their chips. Or, find a fun local restaurant and grab a unique dessert. As long as you know their food restrictions, food is always a win-win.